Article 16 - The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (English version)

This piece is part of a collection of 30 xylographs, produced by the multimedia artist Otávio Roth (1952-1993), that graphically express the content of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). The series took two years to reach completion, with each piece printed on handmade paper created by the artist himself. Driven by the desire to democratize access to the Charter, Otávio Roth synthesized its message in graphic pieces that facilitate the understanding and memorization of the Charter’s content.

Roth was the first living artist invited to exhibit at the United Nations. His prints have been on permanent display at UN headquarters in New York, Geneva and Vienna since 1981. In addition to the English series, the artist produced other series in Japanese, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Norwegian and Danish, using techniques as diverse as crayon, watercolor and pulp painting.

About Article 16
Article 16 affirms that “men and women” have the right to marry. Although some people interpret the text as discriminatory because they think it refers solely to guaranteeing rights to heterosexual couples, the truth is that this reference was a victory won by the Declaration’s (1948) women writers who, with this elaboration, guaranteed equal rights regardless of gender at a time when discrimination against women was still frequent in most countries. Article 16 states that every adult has the right to marry and have a family with whom he or she wishes. Women and men also have equal rights during marriage and in the event of divorce.